The First Holy Hierarchical Liturgy on the Island of Vido

The Very Reverend Archimandrite Methodius visited the island of Corfu for the event „Serbian Days on Corfu” on May 25th and 26th, 2024, organized by the Orthodox Sports Association “Holy Serbia” and the Corfu Greek-Serbian Friendship Society. 

The Holy Hierarchical Liturgy on the island of Vido was served by Nektarios, Metropolitan of Corfu, Paxos and the Diapontian Islands, with the participation of the Very Reverend Archimandrite Methodius, abbot of the Hilandar Monastery, as well as the priests and deacons from Serbia, Montenegro and Greece. 

This is the first hierarchical Liturgy served at the “Blue Tomb,” the site of the great suffering of the Serbian army after the Albanian Golgotha 108 years ago. 

With the blessing of Metropolitan Nektarios and the support of the Hilandar Monastery, every year a Liturgy will be served on Vido island, where the heroes who lost their lives at Corfu after crossing Albania on foot during World War I, rest in peace. 

The event was attended by Zlatan Klokić, Minister for European Integration and International Cooperation of the Republic of Srpska, Yannis Teperklis, President of the Ionian Islands Region, Stefanos Poulimenos, Mayor of Central Corfu and Jasmina Milačić, Consul General of Serbia in Thessaloniki. 

The guests from Serbia, the Republic of Srpska and Montenegro, who had been visiting Corfu the previous days, had an opportunity to visit the memorial in Kato Korakiana dedicated to the Iron Regiment, the spot in Analipsi where the entire Military Orchestra of the Moravian Division was buried together with their instruments, as well as the monument to the Drina Division in the village of Agios Mateos. A prayer service was also held at the memorial plaque in Gouvia, at the exact place where the Serbian army landed on Corfu in January 1916. 

During the event, the Corfiots had an opportunity to attend a lecture on Serbian cuisine and to try our traditional specialties. The village of Liapades and the city of Corfu hosted the rich cultural and artistic performances with performers from Serbia and Montenegro: the Choir from the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Podgorica, the Byzantine Choir that chanted hymns from Hilandar panigiria and the Folk Dance Ensemble “Razigrano Kolo” from Požega. 

There was also a basketball tournament and the basketball clubs “Panathinaikos” and “Kerkyra” took part in this sports event.

Foto: Milan Lakic, Holy Serbia